ACCRINGTON Stanley’s newly founded reputation as the misers of League Two continued with a 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers.

No team in the fourth tier has seen fewer goals in their games this season, but the one that the Reds produced was not only enough to take all three points but one to remember, with Billy Kee’s super overhead kick settling the game.

MORE TOP STORIES:

As a week earlier at Portsmouth, this was a blueprint away performance founded on organisation and defensive strength and it was no surprise to see a side take to the field unchanged from the one at Fratton Park.

John Coleman’s side were in the ascendancy in the first half, with Tom Davies seeing a shot blocked inside the area, Sean McConville shooting into the side netting from a tight angle and Josh Windass firing high and wide from a good position on the left.

But as at Portsmouth, the secret to success lay in giving nothing away, with a 6000-plus home crowd frustrated and at times angry at their team’s inability to create a clear opening.

Rovers saw their best, and only, first half chance come three minutes from time when Ollie Clarke flicked on a Chris Lines corner at the near post and forced a save from Jason Mooney – but largely the action was in the middle of the park or at the other end.

Stanley could have been a goal up at the break, with captain Terry Gornell seeming to be pulled back in the area as he ran onto a Matt Crooks pass, but ref Kevin Johnson said no.

For over half of the second period it was a similar story, with only a routine Mooney catch from an Ellis Harrison header to quicken the pulses of the home supporters.

Instead their exasperation grew, as Darrell Clarke’s team seemed unable to find a way to exert pressure.

Enter Kee, on as a sub for Windass for less than three minutes before he made the crucial contribution. Adam Buxton’s corner was headed goalwards by Davies and with the ball in the air and no defender challenging to clear Kee produced an instinctive and acrobatic bicycle kick to beat former Stanley keeper Lee Nicholls from inside the six yard box. It was his first goal since returning to the club in the summer.

Now trailing, Rovers had no choice to attack and though sub Billy Bodin thought he was one on one, Matty Pearson though otherwise with a terrific late block and Mooney produced a good save from a 30 yard Lines free kick, Stanley now had chances to counter.

One such break saw substitute Shay McCartan run from the halfway line with the ball and with Crooks square elect to shoot, prompting a smart save from Nicholls to keep it at 1-0.

In stoppage time they had an even better chance, with McCartan finding Piero Mingoia who turned down the chance to shoot and instead teed up Crooks, only for the midfielder to slide his shot wide. The missed chance proved irrelevant, as despite some pressure and five added minutes, the Stanley defence refused to be breached to pick up back to back clean sheets for the first time since October and a first away win since February.